Folding paired leg table with lock



April 1, 1958 A. c. HOVEN ETAL 2,829,019

FOLDING PAIRED LEG TABLE WITH LOCK I Filed Dec. 51, 1956 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS Ali-red -C. HoDe-rb. .Dozgla-s Mflumphriea TVal-Zer E.N0rdmatli BY @MMWJ ATTORNEY April 1, 1958 A. c. HOVEN ET AL FOLDING PAIRED LEG TABLE WITH LOCK 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 51, 1956 n will/ll INVENTORS Alfred C HOIJen DouglasJV- Hamplzri es Walfev 1i. 1V0 rdma vii BY ATTORNEY April 1, 1958 A. c. HOVEN ET AL FOLDING PAIRED LEG TABLE WITH LOCK 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed D60. 31, 1956 INVENTORS Alfred (111228611 .Dpuglaa JV-H-umphviea BEE-e:- E.Nbrdmaz'li ATTORNEY United States Patent FOLDING PAIRED LEG TABLE WITH LOCK Alfred C. Hoveu, Douglas N. Humphries, and Walter E.

Nordmark, Grand Rapids, Micl1., assignors to American Seating Company, Grand Rapids, Mich, a corporation of New Jersey Application December 31, 1956, Serial No. 631,733

Claims. (Cl. 311-86) The present invention relates to folding tables and more particularly to folding tables of the banquet type for use in cafeterias or wherever else found suitable.

The primary objects of the invention are to provide an improved folding table the opposite ends of which are supported on standards when in use, and which standards can be swung to folded positions alongside the table top when not in use; to provide such a folding table which, when extended for use, is especially sturdy; to provide improved means for pivotally mounting the standards on the underside of the table top; to provide such a folding table which, when folded for transport or storage, can be rolled from place to place with a minimum of effort on rollers set into a side edge of the table tops frame; and in general to provide such a folding table which is etficient in use, reasonably economical in manufacture and attractive in appearance.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the new table unfolded for use;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the same;

Figure 3 is an end elevational view of the same;

Figure 4' is a perspective view of the unfolded table turned on its side so as to better reveal the construction thereof; 1 1

Figure 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional view of parts of the table, in their unfolded-or extended-positions, the plane of section being indicated by the lines 5-5 of Figures 3 and 8;

Figure 6 is a further enlarged, fragmentary vertical sectional view of parts thereof taken on line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a horizontal sectional view of the same parts, taken on line 7-7 of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on lines 8-8 of Figures 2 and 5;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on lines 9-9 of Figures 5 and 8; and

Figure 10 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view similar to Figure 5 and showing a supporting standard of the table in partially folded condition.

Referring now in detail to these drawings, wherein like parts are designated by the same numerals in the several views, the folding table there shown comprises a generally rectangular frame 11 on which is mounted a top panel 12 of suitable material and from which depend the supporting standards 13 of the structure.

The generally rectangular frame 11 has side rails 14 and end rails 15 of continuous, inwardly-opening channel construction, the outer walls of which have vertical upper parts and downwardly-inwardly sloping lower parts. A center strut 16 (see Figure 4) of inverted hat-section 14. of the frame.

2,829,019 Patented Apr. 1, 1958 from side to side and are spaced inwardly from the end rails 15 of the frame. Spanning the space between each intermediate strut 18 and the adjacent end rail 15 are a pair of end struts 19 of outwardly opening channel construction which are spaced inwardly from the side rails The intermediate struts 18 and end struts 19 are desirably secured to the frame and to each other as by welding. The top panel 12 of the table is secured to the upper surface of the frame by means of tubular metal legs 22 connected near their upper ends by a web 23 and having their upper end portions 24 above the web 23 turned outwardly and pivotally disposed in bearing straps 25 secured as by rivets 26 to upwardly offset portions 27 of the intermediate struts 18. The 7 standards are thus swingable to extended top-supporting positions and to inwardly swung folded positions lying adjacent the underside of the table top. The web 23 of each standard 13 comprises an outer plate 28 and an inner plate 29 having complementary semi-cylindrical sockets embracing the legs 22 therebetween. The plates 28 and 29 are secured together and to the legs 22 as by welding. A horizontal pintle 30 is secured as by welding between the upper edges of the plates 28 and 29. The upper edge of the outer plate 28 is curled outwardly at 31 to accommodate the pintle and has its middle portion cut away to receive a leaf 32 hingedly mounted on the pintle 30. The leaves 32 at opposite ends of the table are thus hingedly connected to the upper edges. of the webs 23 and are swingable outwardly therefrom.

A pair of U-shaped end braces 33 fabricated of rod stock each has an inner bight portion hingedly connected to the outer end of one of the leaves 32' and leg portions extending outwardly from the bight portion and pivotally spans the frame from side to side and has a longitudinally connected at their outer ends to the adjacent end struts 19. It will be seen that each end brace 33 and its adjacent leaf 32 are in approximate alignment when the adjacent supporting standard 13 is fully folded (see Figure J l0). During unfolding movement of the standard, the

hinge connection between each end braces bight portion and the adjacent leaf is projected downwardly and into ultimate contact with the adjacent web 23 thus to limitv the unfolding movement of the standard (see Figure 5).

A longitudinal center brace 34 of metal tubing is journalled at its middle to the center struts bearing 17. As seen in Figure 4, the outer portions of the center brace 34 extend slightly downwardly and the extreme end portions of this center brace are turned upwardly to form arms 35 which are pivotally connected as by rivets 36 to the intermediate struts 18. The center brace 34 is thus turnable to a position wherein the arms 35 abut crescent-shaped embossings 37 on the inner plates 29 of webs 23 when the standards are unfolded thus to brace said standards against folding movement. Stops 38, flanged inwardly from the upper edges of the webs inner plates 29,'limit the turning movement of the center brace 34 to its bracing position. The center brace 34 is also turnable, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 8 and in full lines in Figure 10, to a position of disengagement from the standards webs 23 to permit folding movements of the side rails 14 of the frame 11, as by means of bolts 7 32 having nuts 43. The axes of the rollers 39 are normal to the table top and the rollers extend outwardly through openings 44 in the side rails slightly beyond the side edge of the table top, so that when the table is in folded 0 condition it can be stood on edge and rolled from place to place.

As shown in Figure 4, the center strut 16 of the frame 11 is provided with a pair of depressions 45 which are adapted to accommodate the rubber .feet 46 at the ends of the table-legs 22 so that the standards 13 can be folded perfectly flat againstthe frme 11.

It willthus-be seen that the invention provides a sturdy anddurable folding table. of thebanquet type, and while but one specific embodiment of the invention has been herein shownand described it will be understood that numerous details'thereof may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as the same is defincdby thefoll'owing claims.

We. claim: I

I. In a folding table: a table top; a pair of supporting standards pivotallyw mounted on the underside of the table top near the opposite ends thereof and swingable to extended top-supporting positions and to inwardly swung folded positions lying. adjacent the underside of the table top; a pair of leaves each hingedly connected to one of said standards and swingable outwardly from said standard; a pair of end braces each hingedly connected to the outer end of oneof said leaves and extending outwardly therefrom and pivotally connected at its outer end' to the table top, whereby each end brace and the adjacent leaf are in approximate alignment when the adjacent supporting standard is fully folded, and whereby the'hinge connection between each end brace and the adjacent leaf is projected downwardly during unfolding movement of the adjacent standard and into ultimate contact with said standard to limit the unfolding movement thereof.-

2. A folding table according to claim 1 characterized by including releasable means for bracing the standards against folding movement when in their extended topsupporting positions.

3. A folding table according to claim 1 in which each standard comprises a pair of spaced legs connected near their upper ends by a web against which the hinge connection between the adjacent end brace and leaf is adapted to abut.

4. A folding table according to claim 1 in which each end brace comprises a U-shaped rod having an inner bightportion hingedly connected to the outer end of the adjacentleaf and having leg portions extending outwardly therefrom and pivotally connected at their outer ends to theunderside of the table top.

5. In a folding table: a frame of generally rectangular formhaving side rails and end rails, a center strut span- 4 ningr the frame from side to side and having a longitudinally extending bearing in the center thereof, a pair of intermediate struts spanning the frame from side to side and spaced inwardly from the opposite end rails respectively, and a pair of end struts spanning the space between each intermediate strut and its adjacent end rail, said end struts being spaced inwardly from the side rails of the frame; a table top mounted on the upper surface of the frame; a pair of supporting standards pivotally mounted on the intermediate struts respectively and swingable to extended top-supporting positions and to inwardly swung folded positions lying adjacent the underside of the table top, said standards each comprising a pair of spaced legs connected near their upper ends by a web; a pair of leaves each hingedly connected to the upper edge of one of said webs and swingable outwardly from said web; a pair of U-shaped end braces each having an inner bight portion hingedly connected to the outer end of one, of said leaves and having leg portions extending outwardly therefrom and pivotally connected at their outer ends to the adjacent end struts, whereby each end brace and. the adjacent leaf are in approximate alignment when the adjacent supporting standard is fully folded, and whereby the hinge connection between each end brace and the adjacent leaf is projected downwardly during unfolding movement of the adjacent standard and into ultimate contact with the adjacent web to limit the unfolding movement of said standard; and a' longitudinal center brace journallcd at its middle in the center struts bearing and having arms at its outer ends pivotally connected to said intermediate struts, saidcenter brace being turnable to a position wherein said arm abut the inner surfaces of said webs when the standards are unfolded to brace said standards against folding movement and turnable to another position of disengagement from the standards webs to permit folding movement of the standards.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 320,413 Thayer June 16, 1885 540,971 Fulghum June 11, 1895 992,758 Deming May 23, 1911 2,240,301 Johnson Apr. 29, 1941 2,490,318 Padon -Dec. 6, 1949 2,508,627 Spiegel May 23, 1950 2,656,231 Mahr -e Oct. 20, 1953 2,690,210 Holick Sept. 28, 1954 

